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The Marathon Runner - Lisa Weightman Pt 2
By Edward Ovadia.
Outside of running, family is Weightman's most important factor. "My greatest passion is in supporting my family. As a family we go to the football of a weekend in the winter to support the Collingwood VFL team in which my Dad is an Assistant Coach."
Outside of running, family is Weightman's most important factor. "My greatest passion is in supporting my family. As a family we go to the football of a weekend in the winter to support the Collingwood VFL team in which my Dad is an Assistant Coach."
Weightman characterises herself as impatient, in a hurry, and a worrier. But as a runner, she is "dedicated, persistent and disciplined. I place my trust in my coach and follow his instructions to the letter. This approach has paid dividends!" But on a personal side, Weightman places her trust in her Dad. "I always go
to him for advice and he always helps me make sense of an otherwise tricky situation.
to him for advice and he always helps me make sense of an otherwise tricky situation.
It's clear Weightman's father has been a major influence on her life, and a source of support at every turn. "My Dad knew of my talent when I was quite young," she says. "I would regularly do a 7km run with him around the streets of Preston. Dad is my life coach, mentor and the person I look up to and lean on when I need advice though the challenges life puts in front of us. He is the person I admire the most because he never gives up on anything, no matter how hard things get."
So what is it that Weightman loves about running? "It's just the feeling you get when you run that keeps you coming back to it. Like most runners, when I can't run I get grumpy and have way too much energy. I miss the regularity running provides me if I cannot do it."
Weightman's team is very important to her. "My coach Dick Telford is inspirational. We have a wonderful relationship, and I have complete faith in every decision he makes, every training session he sets and especially in his careful carbohydrate loading plan pre-Berlin which involved lemon meringue pie!"
"My husband Lachlan is my soul mate and my training buddy. We do everything together and I am the luckiest athlete because I have him to share the journey with. I love my long run with Lachlan Sunday morning."
As a budding marathoner, with many more journeys on the road to come, Weightman is looking forward to the future.
"The goals for the next few months are some track later this year, including the Victorian 5000m Championships and Zatopek, and an early marathon in 2010 around April. I've been quite new to the marathon, but now that I've experienced three marathons I am ready to take another step in my next marathon prior to Commonwealth Games and hopefully run well under 2 hours 30 minutes."
Despite her Championship successes, Weightman is yet to post a world class time over the 42km journey. So with her next marathon, she is getting ready to run fast - very fast. "I am enjoying the prospect of testing the boundaries in the next marathon to learn exactly what I can do. Particularly now I have three marathons in my mind and legs which have all been positive experiences. Not putting a ceiling on my goal time. It will change as I get quicker over the shorter distances and as I get more mileage in my legs. I always need to be careful with injury so it is a very balanced, controlled process. We'll know how fast I can go when I get out and do it!"
And then there is the pressing goal of next year's Commonwealth Games. "I am really excited about being preselected for the Commonwealth Games as a result of my Berlin finish. I will be doing everything I possibly can to achieve my best in Delhi. In my next marathon I hope to run another PB and if I can do that it will give me great confidence for Delhi. It would be a dream come true if I am able to win the Commonwealth Games marathon, but I'm not thinking about that right now!"
"And then I'm looking forward to London, where I will be experienced over the distance and ready for the biggest race of my life!"
Go to part 1
"It's just the feeling you get when you run that keeps you coming back to it."
Go to part 1
"It's just the feeling you get when you run that keeps you coming back to it."
Lisa Weightman
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One comment to "The Marathon Runner - Lisa Weightman Pt 2"
Great article!